Zoe Saldana talks Guardians of the Galaxy

With roles in Avatar, Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, Zoe Saldana is quickly becoming a fan favourite in the sci-fi genre, and next year we’ll see her heading back into space as she links up with Marvel Studios for the cosmic superhero ensemble Guardians of the Galaxy, where she’s set to play Gamora, the adopted daughter of Thanos. During an interview with MTV (via ComicBookMovie) to promote the release of her latest film Out of the Furnace, Saldana offered some insight into what drew her to the role in the James Gunn-directed Phase Two offering…

“[It’s] a new way to view superheroes. I love sometimes the consistency of what the classics have left behind, but I need innovation. You can only have so much of, ‘I’ll save you!’ After a while, it’s ‘Oh God, does he go to the bathroom? Is he hungry?’ It’s like, ‘Does he cry? Does he feel?’ and not only do we cover that, we’re making heroes that are thieves! They’re Robin Hoods and I love that because I like the underdog and the hardest route because that’s the only one that’s going to teach you great lessons in life. These characters are absolutely amazing and they have a full blown redemption.”

“To be able to sink your teeth into such meaty characters and to be part of such a story that is very unique and obviously has everything that I love,” she continued. “It has space, it has a kooky director that literally has cojones. It has amazing actors that you literally would never have thought to put together and somehow we’re all here giving 150% and loving what we’re doing… I never like to shoot myself in the foot to seem that confident that I may come across as arrogant, but I’m rooting for it a great deal because it was amazing. What we shot and what we left on the screen there were pretty amazing things and I hope, and I have a feeling, that James is going to capture it very beautifully. I’m happy to have worked with someone like James because not every day do you meet somebody that is absolutely who they are and you cannot compare them to anybody else. There’s only ever going to be one James Gunn and I like that.”

Guardians of the Galaxy is set for release on August 1st 2014 with Saldana set to star alongside Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) as Star-Lord, as Gamora, Dave Bautista (Riddick) as Drax the Destroyer, Vin Diesel (Fast & Furious 6) as Groot, Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook) as Rocket Raccoon, Michael Rooker (The Walking Dead) as Yondu, Benicio Del Toro (Sin City) as The Collector, Karen Gillan (Doctor Who) as Nebula, John C. Reilly (Step Brothers) as Rhomman Dey, Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond) as Korath the Pursuer and Glenn Close (Damages) as the leader of the Nova Corps.